ISLAMABAD – A first cousin of the former prime minister of Pakistan, late Benazir Bhutto, Mehfooz Mustafa Bhutto, has emerged as a central figure in the award of a questionable contract of $20 million by the Oil & Gas Development Company Limited.
Mustafa Bhutto is the marketing director of a USA-based firm M/s Valerus. He reportedly also shuttled recently between the US and Pakistan to secure this lucrative contract for his Houston-based company, the report published in the leading English language daily The News said.
The OGDC awarded the contract to M/s Valerus without floating open tenders. The tender was not even posted on the OGDC website and in a classic manner to favor its favorites, the OGDC management allegedly only invited hand-picked pre-selected firms as a formality. – SG